Unit 1: Organ donation; a merit good?

Do people fail to donate organs when they die due to information failure? There are certainly positive externalities from organ donation and so governments encourage people to sign up to the organ donation register, but few countries say you have to opt out of donating rather than opting in

These articles raise the issues concerned with organ donation and the latest government nudge for people to sign up

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12097225 article on new "nudge"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12098396 video on new "nudge"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12097992 the debate
http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/newsroom/statements_and_stances/statements/opt_in_or_out.jsp the debate in detail
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11717150 the impact
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11688102 the need
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10786211 an alternative approach


a) To what extent do you believe organ donation to be a merit good?
b) Discuss the likely impact of the new measure on increasing donation levels
c) Discuss whether alternative strategies might be more successful in increasing donation levels